Continuing Medical Education

Management challenges in tuberculosis and HIV

Graeme Meintjes

Abstract

Globally, South Africa (SA) is disproportionately affected by the epidemics of tuberculosis (TB) and the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). The intersection of these two diseases has resulted in an unprecedented disease burden. It is estimated that 12.2% of South Africans are HIV-infected – a total of 6.4 million people, the largest number in any country in the world.

SA has the second highest annual incidence of TB after Swaziland – approximately 1% of the population develop active TB disease each year (an estimated 530 000 people in 2012). While SA comprises 0.7% of the world’s population, it is estimated that of all cases of HIVassociated TB that occur worldwide annually, 30% are in SA.

Author's affiliations

Graeme Meintjes, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Clinical Infectious Disease Research Initiative, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK